Hugo Chavez heading to Cuba for more treatment

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has asked his country’s legislature for permission to travel to Cuba for more medical treatment after spending much of the past 18 months fighting cancer.

The Tuesday request says Chavez has needed “various sessions of hyperbaric oxygenation” and physical therapy to continue “consolidating the process of strengthening health.” The request doesn’t provide more details about the treatment.

Hyperbaric treatments can be used for a broad variety of conditions.

The 58-year-old president first underwent cancer treatment in Cuba in June 2011 and suffered a relapse in February. He has since said he’s recovered from the pelvic cancer and won re-election in October.